Northwood Manufacturing debuts latest offerings

PENDLETON, Ore. — On October 2-3, Northwood Manufacturing held its dealer appreciation and product Showcase to recognize its top dealers and exhibit its latest product offerings and innovations as well as celebrating its 25th year of being in business.

Dealers were invited from all over the western United States and Canada to gather at Wildhorse Resort and Casino in Pendleton, Oregon, for the two-day gathering. Events included golfing, keynote speaker football legend Joey Harrington, catered meals, sales and marketing presentations and new product displays.

Events were kicked off with a friendly but competitive golf outing on the afternoon of the first day. Participants ranged from dealership owners and salespeople to Northwood DSMs and corporate officers. Immediately following came a gourmet, catered dinner and recognition of Northwood’s Top 10 dealers for the last year as “Absolute Performers” complete with custom, hand-crafted awards presented by Northwood Chief Sales Officer, Donald Cochran.

Day one culminated with a presentation by keynote speaker and former University of Oregon and NFL quarterback great, Joey Harrington. Harrington’s genuine and insightful style paired well with his colorful anecdotes and stories that were deeply influenced by his Oregon roots – the very same roots Northwood enjoys. His humor and candor were a hit with the audience. Additionally, Harrington focused on the special bond Northwood holds with its dealers in terms of personal relationships and commitment to quality on all levels.

Day two kicked off with a morning meeting that included breakfast and insightful comments about the “State of Northwood” by Northwood Chief Financial Officer Cerise Smallwood and President/Chief Executive Officer Craig Orton. Both Orton and Smallwood thanked the dealers and salespeople for their partnership and loyalty to Northwood and their products. Orton and Smallwood then spoke individually about how the theme of the show, “25 Years of Quality by Design” is reflective of not only how Northwood operates in terms of manufacturing but also in the relationships built with dealers and retail customers. Orton and Smallwood were on hand throughout the event and made it a point to spend one-on-one time with all those attending.

Director of Marketing, Lance Rinker then presented an analysis about the effectiveness of all of Northwood’s marketing over the past year including web-based and print platforms. Highlights included a walk-through of Northwood’s video Quick Tours and cutting-edge 3D Virtual Tours on the company’s newly updated website. The role of social media in the RV landscape was also addressed by Northwood DSM, Colby Lankford. Rinker went on to reveal what direction future marketing tools and campaigns will be taking the company in.

The podium was then turned over to Donald Cochran who gave an insightful summary of all the updates and revisions that Northwood brands have and will continue to undergo for the coming model year. Mr. Cochran was quick to point out that, “We are constantly pushing ourselves to improve our products and are thrilled to have all of our brands on display here today showcasing our latest flooplans as well as potential new features and options to gain valuable dealer feedback.” He went on to say, “We always have and will continue to solicit dealer input. We can never lose sight of what our dealers and retail customers want. The continuous effort to provide value-added features and options coupled with Northwood’s time-tested quality and the best dealer partnerships in the industry make for a strong combination in the marketplace.”

Eager dealers then toured the product display that provided an early glimpse of what they could look forward to as they currently enjoy a strong demand for Northwood products this fall and start planning for the promising winter and spring as well.

In closing, Craig Orton summarized by saying, “Northwood’s goal is to always provide our dealers and retail customers with the highest quality products in the marketplace. Northwood’s 25 year reputation for manufacturing solid, top value RVs has been earned and maintaining that standard over the next 25 years and beyond remains our highest priority. We have accomplished this by insisting on quality components and demanding quality craftsmanship from our dedicated production line workers and we are committed to continuing to do so.”

About Ronnie Wendt

Ronnie Wendt is the editor in chief of RV Daily Report. She's been a writer/editor for more than 25 years, working in law enforcement, aviation, supply chain and now the RV industry. She's not a stranger to RVs, however. She grew up camping, and still camps as many weekends as she can every year.